5 reasons we should stop talking about family friendly workplaces
In 1999 I talked to my then employer about an idea I had. I was training as a coach for leaders and teams and loving what I was learning. At the same time I was a senior producer with a major broadcaster and didn’t want to walk away from a career I’d devoted a decade […]
How to make maternity leave work for both employers and employees
Want to ensure that maternity leave works for everyone involved? From shared parental leave to mentoring returning parents back in the workplace, here's how to keep all staff happy. This article was originally published on Mumsnet. As we hear daily on Mumsnet, pregnancy and new motherhood bring with them a raft of challenges. Not the least among […]
Going back: what fears and hopes do mothers have before returning to the workplace?
From being there for your kids to coping with the stresses of working life, Mumsnet users share their thoughts on returning to work after having children. This article was originally published on Mumsnet. Above and beyond the important stuff like HR policies and procedures, mothers’ fears and hopes on returning from maternity leave are often focused […]
Beyond the nappy zone: Why older people and carers need flexibility too
It isn't just the parents of young children who need flexible leave – older people and carers also need the chance to work flexibly. This article was originally published on Mumsnet. Flexible working is an idea constantly associated with parents of young children, and (things being the way they are) specifically with mothers. Of course, […]
Achieving gender balance – the practical stuff
This is part two in a two-part series on achieving gender diversity. The first looks at why we need to focus on men, not women. When I first talk to organisations about their gender issues, the conversation usually starts with an explanation of their issue, for example, maternity non-returners or lack of female progress from […]
Achieving gender balance is about men – not women
This is part one in a two-part series on achieving gender diversity. The second part looks at the practical steps organisations can take. Why is it that whenever anyone talks of gender equality, the immediate thought is about women’s rights, feminist chants of discrimination in the workplace, pointing the finger at male leaders creating barriers […]
Maternity coaching: a crap name for an incredible development opportunity
It's HR in Retail month on HRZone! We're focusing on all things retail – check out our HR in retail hub to read all our great content! I want to start with a confession: despite my dislike of the terminology, if you search our website, you will find reference to maternity and paternity coaching. It’s become such […]
A snowball started rolling: lessons from Norway about gender quotas on boards
What are the main lessons that we can learn from the Norwegian women quota for corporate boards? The quota was introduced in 2002. In most countries in Europe the number of women on boards today are several times higher than it was in 2002. This is illustrated by the EU statistics displayed in the graph below. How […]
The state of family-friendliness in UK financial services
Over the last few years, academics and professionals alike have been documenting the gradual shift toward more flexible ways of working, in part facilitated by an evolution of Government legislation. Research has shown that flexible work can improve staff retention, improve morale and increase productivity. However, the definition of flexible working is broad and ill-defined […]
The grey area of the parent trap and the failure of work to tackle it
I’m going to make a bit of a generalisation and say that there are really only two ways of working in our society. One way is task-orientated and the other way is clock-based. You can imagine this as the difference between a freelancer’s life and an office worker’s life. Task-orientated work If you’ve ever worked […]
Family-friendly workplaces: the role of mental wellbeing
Mind urges employers to create mentally healthy workplaces by tackling the causes of work-related stress and poor mental health at work, supporting members of staff experiencing a mental health problem, and promoting wellbeing for all employees. Workplace wellbeing initiatives can benefit all employees, including parents with mental health problems. Mental health problems can affect anyone, […]
What can organisations do to stop older workers disengaging from the workforce?
Early retirement: facts, forces, and erroneous solutions The ageing workforce is creating unprecedented challenges for organizations and governments. By 2030 the number of people aged over 55 in high-income countries will have grown to 500 million. However, it can also present opportunities for policy makers and employers. PricewaterhouseCoopers suggested that “the ageing workforce offers a […]
Female leaders in travel – on leadership and courage
On the 8th November 2016 the third Women in Travel meetup took place in London. Female and male attendees alike from places as diverse as India, Kenya, Switzerland, the US and many others shared their stories over an afternoon that included two panel debates, one on leadership and one on entrepreneurship. We also had group […]
The diversity challenge? Team cohesion grows from shared goals
Nisha from Finance eyes her lemon meringue cupcake, the topping melting in the sun. Liz from Communications forces a bright grin as she grapples with the microphone. “And the winner of the Cupcake King or Queen of 2016 is…” Nisha hasn’t mistakenly entered herself for The Great British Bake Off, she’s just struggling to enjoy […]
Coffee Break: Empathy, employee surveys and HR dark arts
Here is your weekly round up of news, opinion and interesting blogs from across the HR world, which we've been busily curating for you over the past few days. Let us know what you've enjoyed reading this week, and tell us what you think of the articles we've shared. Strategy – Defence of the #HR dark […]
Forgetting ‘normal’ – how HR can help showcase the positive differences of dyslexic team members
One in 10 people in the UK is dyslexic, myself included. I've experienced first-hand so many outdated attitudes towards dyslexia and other learning differences. Yet I feel proud of the innovation and creativity dyslexia allows. Dyslexia is classed as a disability - which automatically generates preconceived notions of the person suffering from it – “you’re […]
Coffee Break: Trust, culture management and the importance of being liked at work
Here is your weekly list of news, opinion and interesting blogs from across the HR world, selected by us so you don't have to spend your coffee break scrolling through newsfeeds. Let us know what you've enjoyed reading this week, or tell us what you think of the articles we've shared in the comments below. […]
Blind recruitment: A small step forward, but how do we make the leap?
The CBI’s recent call for the removal of names on CVs is one example of ongoing attempts to combat prejudice in the world of recruitment. A number of big name employers, including BBC, NHS and Virgin Money have jumped on the bandwagon too by incorporating so called ‘blind recruitment’ into their hiring process. But, while […]
Older workers deprived of performance appraisals and training in the UK – what can we do?
There's so much rich insight coming out of the academic sector that HR professionals need to know. At Academics' Corner we feature the best HR researchers that tell you what they’ve found and what you need to do differently on the back of the research. Get connected to the academic sector through Academics’ Corner and […]
Hiring for cultural fit: the diversity equation
How does your recruitment programme work? Do you look for personal qualities or abilities, qualifications or past experience? Do you skim application forms, ticking off criteria against a preset list; or do you search for that special something which may enrich the organisation? It’s difficult isn’t it, particularly for those jobs where you’ve had hundreds […]
